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One area of law that my office represents people in is in the area of legal disputes related to residential real estate transactions (not the transactions themselves, only lawyers can do that). Usually these matters come to my attention only where the sale falls through for some reason or there is a dispute over the transaction or the property. Residential Real estate transactions are the most important transaction a family will make, and it is very important...

To most people a contract is a written paper signed by both parties with agreed terms on it. In reality only a small number of contracts fit this description. A contract refers to the terms agreed by at least two people where one party provides something in exchange for something else from the other party (an exchange, known as consideration). Contracts can take the form of a signed piece of paper, but they can also be orally made, they can be a l...

When purchasing or selling a home, it is very important to have the advice of qualified real estate and legal professionals. A home is the largest purchase that most families will make in their lifetime. A real estate transaction is a very serious endeavour, which is fraught with risk. Now I have to disclose that I am not a real estate lawyer, and I do not help people complete real estate transactions. I get involved as a part of my civil practic...

One issue that comes up frequently in my practice with small landlords is how to deal with a tenant where the landlord intends to sell the house to someone else. Small landlords often do not know what to do when they decide for whatever reason to stop being a landlord, or to sell a rental property. What complicates the issue is that often the tenant in the property has been problematic. Real estate agents and lawyers manage the transaction of selling a home and they are the experts in rela...

In my last post, I introduced the topic of unpaid debts, and addressed the first common justification provided for failure to pay. There are three other common reasons that I wish to address, including disputes over the quality of goods and services provided, disputes about the completion of the contract, and the reasonableness of an invoice.

A common area of dispute between a consumer and a goods/services provider is that of quality of the work or services prov...

The Small Claims Court deals with a wide variety of legal matters and claims, affecting all areas of life. Unlike most tribunals, it does not have a specific mandate to deal with a set subject area as would the Landlord and Tenant Board or the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, to give two examples. One of the most important types of claims that the court must deal with is that of unpaid debts, or unpaid invoices for goods and services.

My So you want to be a landlord series will address issues specific to residential landlords in Ontario. There are many responsibilities and obligations to being a landlord that prospective or current landlords may be unaware of. Residential landlords will also sometimes experience problems with their tenants, from non-payment of rent, to maintenance issues, to illegal ac...

Sexual harassment includes sexual jokes and innuendo, pictures or other materials, sexual advances, among other things. Sexual harassment falls into the categories covered by the Human Rights Code, and may involve discrimination based on sex, gender, and sometimes sexual orientation.

All employees have the right to be free of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment poisions the workplace environment, destroys workplace morale, offends the dignity of the person, and makes a...

While it is beneficial to have the OHSA provide protection to workers who are suffering workplace harassment, the changes are limited. The Act should be considered a good starting point, but not the best option in terms of dealing with the issue.

Employers should address workplace harassment and deal with it severely, reprimanding the responsible individuals after an investigation. There is not however, anything in the Act that requires t...

Disagreements and conflicts are common in the workplace. People are diverse, and have divergent opinions, feelings and interests. In a context where multiple people must work together for the same goal, conflicts are inevitable. It is very important however that conflict be properly managed and handled constructively. The problem of workplace violence and harassment is gaining increasing recognition in Ontario Workplaces. Recent changes to the Occupational Health and Safety...

Use of this website is not intended as legal advice, and does not create a paralegal-client relationship. While GLS welcome inquiries about GLS services, I must request that confidential information is not sent electronically for the purpose of requesting a consultation or inquiring about GLS services. Where confidential information is provided, the sender acknowledges that where information is sent electronically, the information may not be secure, and may be exposed to third parties. The sender acknowledges and accepts the risk.